


The Strange Case Of Mr Spine

by Wasthatapun



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 15:18:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/737135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wasthatapun/pseuds/Wasthatapun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A performance at Uncle Ralphie’s Magical Mystical Sideshow leaves its mark on the titanium alloy steam powered singer. The bots wonder why their brother is suddenly being so secretive and disappearing for long stretches of time. What secret is he hiding from his family?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Boys and girls young and old, gather ‘round to see the show. With a tip of my hat you will know, the time is ripe so let’s go. Creativities will flow into a magic sea. We can dream anything we want to dream, our thoughts become a galaxy.” The Spine’s voice rang out across the tent and enthralled the gathered crowd. 

Thus began Uncle Ralphie’s Magical Musical Sideshow Spectacular, with its daring high wires, hilarious clowns and breathtaking tricks with intermittent performances by the world’s one and only Steam Man Band. 

As the night wound to an end, the show finishing, and the crowd dispersed. The steam man band found themselves outside the main tent watching the sea of circus goers and booth lights

\+ + +

”We got time to look around?” Steve asked as he tucked away the last of his equipment.

This sent both The Jon and Michael into a flurry of excitement.

“We’ll ride the roller coasters!” “And the Ferris wheel!” “And win a goldfish!” “Cotton candy!!! I want Cotton candy and a corndog!!” They were babbling over and around each other as they bounced like excitable three year old’s.

“I was kinda hopin’ to take a look at tha sideshow actually.” Rabbit piped in. 

Sam had already disappeared to look at the booths, though since he was the one driving the equipment van so it didn’t much matter if he wandered off.

“We really should head home guys.” The Spines voice had that ‘I may not be the oldest but I’m still the big brother and I know best’ tone to it. Which generally just got him eye rolls from his band mates.

“Oh come on Spine, live a little!” Steve smacked The Spine on the back “Let’s have a look around, have some fun, do something crazy!”

Michael and The Jon cheered

“Not you two, keep it to your version of sane. Your kind of crazy tends to involve reality messing up.” Steve gave a disapproving finger wag for good measure and the pair gave an “Aawwwww!”

“Yeah The SP-SP-Spine, let loose a little, do somethin ya wouldn’t. It’ll be fu-U-U-un!” Rabbit was leaning against the tent; arms crossed watching them rather demurely.

He was outnumbered and he knew it. “Fine, just don’t break anything.”

With that, The Jon and Michael disappeared with a whoop and a cloud of dust. Steve and rabbit trailing after him.

Rabbit paused, and returned to his younger-big-brother “Go do something, Tha Spine, promise you’ll try somethin new.”

That pulled a smile from the titanium-alloy bot “I promise Rabbit.” His brother matched his smil and they all separated into the crowd.

\+ + +

People milled about, laughing and cheering and playing games that earned them oversized stuffed animals.

He watched, an outsider peering in.

He half-heartedly played a few game, failing to win a goldfish but succeeding in a ring-toss which earned him a stuffed wait-is-this-supposed-to-be-a-dog-or-an-elephant. He strolled through the fun house and wandered absently in along the sideshow.

He sighed as he exited the tent, watching the steam that streamed from his lips and danced into the night sky.

“You look the lonesome soul if ever I saw one, child.” 

The Spine hadn’t realized there was anyone else close. She was a rather elderly, frail-looking woman covered in scarfs. She stood before a trailer that extolled her abilities as a palm reader and fortune teller.

“Come; give an old woman a bit of company. Children these days have no interest in my services. Unless they’re coming to me ‘ironically’.”

The Spine snorted at that.

“I am Madame Belov. Come, I read your palm.” she beckoned him forward and turned to head into the trailer.

“Uh, no ma’am it’s fine, and I really don’t think that would work.” he held up his gleaming palm in explanation.

“Feh, think you’re so smart, will work fine. And aren’t you supposed to be trying new things?”

The Spine was taken aback. The emotion must have shown on his face because Madame Belov let out a great laugh.

“I walked right by you earlier, silly child, Might be old as dirt but my hearing hasn’t gone yet! Now get in here, I’m bored.” She didn’t wait to see if he followed this time.

His gaze swung incredulously from one direction to the other as if expecting to find one of his band mats snickering at their setup but found nothing but a handful of families and couples. He shrugged to himself and followed her in.

The trailer was one big stereotype. Draped in scarves and linens and filled with the smell of incense. Mystic-looking trinkets crowded every corner and a tarot deck lay out on the small, ornate table that stood in the center of the room.

“Come, sit, I’ll get the tea.” she trundled off to a corner, motioning toward the table as she went.

“That won’t be necessary ma’am, I actually don’t need to drink” he sat, somewhat awkwardly, into the offered chair and folded his hands demurely in his lap.

“You’re missing out, Tea make all things better, Feh, more for me.” As she returned to the table, teacup in one hand, she grabbed the chair opposite him and pulled it around to his side.

Setting the teacup on the table, she plopped down on the chair and held out a hand.

“I wasn’t kidding chu know.” she said, beckoning for his hand.

He looked at her dubiously but placed his hand palm up in hers anyway. She hummed and hawed to herself as she peered at the metal appendage as The Spine shifted in mild discomfort.

“Heh, almost the longest lifeline I’ve ever seen. What are you at now? Upwards of 100, I’d guess.” she peered up at him expectantly.

“Er…116 actually.” 

“Hah, only a bit older than me then. That’s a lot of family you’ve got, your sibling love you deeply. Hmmm…” she leaned in, her nose nearly brushing his palm.

”And yet, still you hide sadness, want, longing.” Her expression was one of compassion and sympathy “you hide it deep but is there. You long for something you know you can’t have.”

He started to pull his hand away, to protest, to insist she was mistaken. But she patted his hand with such an understanding look and said in a gentle tone “You not want to talk of such things, is alright, I just see what I see.”

She sipped at her tea, leaning back into her chair. 

“Chu know the thing about wants? Never are they too far. Even impossible ones. Though they have a nasty habit of hurting to get. But is not always a bad hurt, I suppose.” she peered into her cup “Pah, needs more sugar.” 

She clambered out of her chair and trundled back over to the corner, babbling as she went. “My great grand-daughter, she lives here with me. Always she says ‘Nana! You put too much sugar! Will kill you!’ but I tell her, ‘Feh, I am 97 years old child! Is rather good job for us humans no? Not killed me yet.’”

That was when she plopped back down into her seat again, a teacup in each hand, now. She handed one to him with no further comment, continuing on her ramble. 

“You would be young man then, suppose you are always man though. My great grand-daughter worries after me so. How I love her. I let her coddle me, but I am not doddering old fool yet. Much fight left in these old bones and many years ahead.”

The Spine still sat holding the teacup awkwardly on his long knees.

“Drink! Tea is amazing thing. Good cup fix everything, solve every problem. If had big enough cup we’d have world peace by now” She took a sip of her own, smiling at the sweetness. “Who knows, make dreams come true.” She chuckled at her own joke and The Spine found himself smiling back.

He inspected the cup for a moment, it really wouldn’t hurt anything. It wasn’t as good for him as water, but it would do. The worst that would occur would be the need to give his boiler a good cleaning for residue, but he was due for that anyway. And he had to admit as he took the first sip he did feel better. It was warm and sloshed into his boiler nicely and added its pleasant aroma to his steam. He relaxed somewhat, his servos and gears shifting into a more comfortable configuration.

And there they sat in companionable silence, sipping at their tea and mulling over life and the universe.

The Spine had stopped paying attention to how much time had passed and had lost himself in some rather pleasant thoughts when a voice shouted from outside the trailer.

A younger woman, hair the same as Madame Belov’s but darker skin and rounder eyes bounced up the steps as she opened the door with her hip. “Nana! I’ve got some mail for you and I think you got that mail-order thing you were…”

Her eyes widened somewhat when she looked up and realized there was an extra body in the room. “Oh, sorry Nan! I didn’t realize you were with a customer.” she tilted her head, hiding the mail behind her back. “I will leave you with Madame Belov,” she said with a mystical flourish, “to discover the mysteries of your future and the secrets of your past.”

She began to inch her way back out the door. “Bah! Stay child! Is company, not customer. Kind man, letting old crone like me ramble his ear off.”

The young girl shrugged and tossed the stack of mail onto a table hidden among the wall decorations and strolled over to them.

“Is my great granddaughter. One I was speaking to you about. She is angel, spends all her time carrying for my old bones. Name is Hannah. This is Za Spine. He did show tonight. Did good job too.”

Hannah leaned over the back of her Great-grandmothers chair and shook his hand. 

“And anyway, Is time he go to his family, they look for him now.” She said rather matter-of-factly and began to clear away their teacups.

“Dreams can sometimes be impossible one.” she said sagely as she dumped the cups into a sink he hadn’t realized was there before “But that does not mean they cannot come to happen, It just hurts a bit more to get there.”

Okay, he wasn’t really sure what she meant by that but he had had a lovely time with her when he’d assumed his night would be nothing but awkward wanderings.

“I truly have enjoyed your company, Madame.” He extended a hand but she bypassed it and gave him a quick hug. “Giving old gypsy woman a bit of company, is good fortune. Many blessing on your house. Now shoo before your family has worry.”

A small smile curled his black lips as he gave them a tilt of his hat and exited to find his family.

Madame Belov gave a self-satisfied nod and went to finish washing up, Hannah in tow.

“You know the gypsy thing kind of isn’t okay right? It’s a slur. And you’re not even Romani, you’re Russian, so can’t use that as a reason.” she said absently as she pulled out the dish soap from a well hidden cabinet.

“Feh, I am old. No one cares what I say and is what dey expect from circus.” She pulled a small clay bottle from where it had set beside the tea set, hidden somewhat by the kettle.

Hannah paused, remembering the importance and power of the objects contents from her childhood.

“… Nana? Why would you have that out?” there was the tiniest edge of worry, but it was ignored as the container was placed irreverently into its hiding spot.

“He vas such nice boy. Thought I’d give him chance have less sadness. Hope he can handle price though.” Hannah watched her great grandmother. Biting her lip and hoping the same thing.

\+ + +

It didn’t take The Spine long to find the rest of his group. 

Michael and The Jon were covered in an array of themed hats, oversized sunglasses, boa’s, multicolored tutu’s and were attempting to carry a huge stuffed bear between them. Michael was simultaneously attempting to carry the monstrous plush and eat a large cotton candy on top of everything else. 

It seemed Sam and Rabbit had seen their share a while before and had taken the equipment van home. 

Steve had just come from the sideshow tent and was looking rather pleased with himself, apparently having spent the entire time discussing fire spinning techniques and was now in possession of a rather ornate baton that could apparently be lit on fire.

The Jon squealed with glee when The Spine offered up his… he supposed the deformed thing could count as a stuffed animal. The Spine smiled widely as the smaller bot gushed over his prize and they were herded back to the car. 

He blew out a puff of steam and enjoyed the fact that it carried the slight scent of lavender from his tea.


	2. Chapter 2

Robots do not, in fact, dream of electric sheep.

They re-live memories and work through abstract problems and act out fantasies just like anyone would.

Sure, they had the ability to cross over into one another’s dreams via the Walter Wifi, but that was something you only did with permission or if someone was having an especially bad nightmare.

The weather outside had turned shortly after they had arrived home from the circus. With rain crashing against the windows and lightning lancing across the clouds, the thunder a deep rumble off in the distance.

The Jon had demanded that Michael stay up with him because ‘we both know I’ll just be waking you up anyway’ and the purple-clad one-man-band had relented with barely any argument at all. The pair, as well as Rabbit, were all holed up in The Jon’s room telling wild tales and heaven knew what else to keep the bad dreams at bay.

The Spine left them there, closing the door with a tiny smile tugging at his lips, secure in the knowledge that, eventually, Michael would be able to talk his two brothers into powering down for the night.

The sounds of the storm cut off abruptly as The Spine closed the door of his own room (or Stasis Chamber, as Rabbit constantly insisted) and let out a sigh of relief.

He may not have held the same near-crippling fear of storms as Rabbit and The Jon but when you were six-plus feet of metal, lightning tended to make you a bit nervous. 

With a practiced motion he removed his tie, followed by his hat, and then there was a moment of debate about whether or not he really felt like going through the effort of putting his clothes away. He finally settled on just the vest, which joined the rest on his dresser.

Finally, The Spine was able to relax on his bed, the only light a dull glow from his green photoreceptors and even that faded and flickered as he drifted off into stasis.

There were certain fantasies he was ashamed of, and though he hadn’t hidden them especially well he never spoke of them aloud. 

But now it was time for stasis, for sleep and dreams.

He clicked his heels three times and the blue fairy fluttered down from the second star on the right and asked him, “have you been a good boy all year?” and he assured her yes, he’d been on his best behavior.

And she smiled, kissed his forehead and waved her wand over his head, and for just a moment everything smelled of lavender.

Bippity boppity boo

And her smile became that sad sort of smile when not all the news is good and she says gently, “This is the hard part.” 

And it’s not a good dream anymore. It’s hurt and memories and a desperate burning that spreads through his entire chassis. 

He twists and tosses in his sleep and the dream goes on for far too long and he can’t power back up, can’t break out of stasis.

And then he does and he’s gasping for air and somethings not right anymore.

Fumbling for the light there’s a moment of realization, then panic, then hysterics, and finally acceptance.

It’s Michael’s hoodie he steals when he sneaks out of the manor early that morning, and every morning after, bright purple and a horrible accessory for sneaking about, as a new routine is born.

He would disappear in the early hours and return sometime later, usually closer to evening, with his clothes mussed and oil smudging his shirt and black lip. Upon his return he would avoid everyone for a few more hours until finally he would slink down to the garage and quietly ask Michael to do some much needed minor repairs.

It kept up like this until finally both Rabbit and The Jon cornered him one evening when he returned home and demanded to know why he was hiding things from him. The hurt and worry on their metal faces enough to produce a promise that he wouldn’t be sneaking off anymore and that everything was alright.

They let it go, and he got even better at sneaking out.


	3. Chapter 3

-Two Months Later —

The set had gone amazingly, with the only malfunctions the ones that were meant to be in the skits they occurred in.

The crowd had absolutely adored them and they were called back for encores, not once but twice and everyone was in the best spirits.

Michael and Sam were sorting out the van while Steve had been pulled off by a fellow sound engineer to discuss strategies, which left the three Robuts to grab the last of the instruments.

The three bots made their way along the hall, happily chatting about their latest success. Rabbit especially proud of his latest performance of Captain Albert Alexander, while The Jon skipped and bounced around them like an excited puppy, periodically tossing in his 2cents on the show.

The Spine was congratulating his brothers on their fine work, when the world took an unexpected tilt causing him to stumble. Rabbit had just enough time to catch him before he went face first into the floor. 

The Spine gave his head a quick shake, trying to realign his photoreceptors while simultaneously attempting to shoo off his brother. “Sorry about that, equalizer must have a glitch. I’ll have Michael take a look when we get home.”

“Given us a scare there, Spine, sure you’re okay?” Rabbit’s face was tinged with worry, he had yet to release the spine from his grasp.

“Yes I’m fine.” The Spine pushed Rabbit’s arm away and turned to continue on as if nothing happened. “I’m perfectly alright I promi…” he barely made it three steps before another wave of dizziness struck him. One hand shot out to the wall and he only just barely kept from collapsing.

“Spine!” twin panic rang from Rabbit and The Jon’s voice boxes as they rushed to his side.

Something twisted in The Spine’s boiler and suddenly his entire body was filled with pain. Too much steam escaped from his lips as he gasped, the sound hot and desperate. 

Not here, Not Now, It wasn’t supposed to happen like this anymore, it had been months. He had it Under Control.

But the tingling and burning that spread throughout his chassis begged to differ as his legs threatened to give out under him. 

Rabbit was desperate, begging to know what was wrong, while The Jon had turned on his heels, wailing for Michael. 

His back hit the cool stone wall as he felt his insides twist. He screwed his photoreceptors closed against the pain and the look of abject fear and worry on Rabbit’s face looming in front of him. His teeth were clenched tight and he did all he could to keep from whimpering, Rabbit was already scared enough as it was.

Hard titanium alloy was lightening, melting, becoming soft and malleable. 

His voice was frantic as he pushed the words out past the pain, “I’m sorry,” he whimpered “I’m so sorry, I should have told you….”

Pure agony ripped through his back as the ridges of his spine disappeared, shrinking and reshaping into his back and connecting to the rest of his body, metal plates and circuits melding together into thick rings that pushed against his sides, then separated down the middle into ribs.

He gasped and panted and struggled to force the words out “I should have told you the.. the first time…the first time it happe…” 

He hissed in pain as his legs turned to jelly and promptly gave out, and his shoulders heaved as shoulder blades forced themselves like knives into his back.

A boiler molded itself into a stomach, as his blue power core became a heart, and wires became veins. Lungs found their way into his ribcage, and he pulled himself up against the wall, sputtering for new breath in place of steam and heat.

Please don’t hate me. He wanted to say, but he couldn’t form the words

Tears, a thick mixture of oil and salt water, edged at his eyes, which had changed from glass and bulb to flesh and retina. He held them back only through what fractured will he had left. 

Rabbit stood horrified as his brother writhed in obvious pain, flinched as he let out a strangled whimper and he heard something crack. The Jon was half hidden behind him, shivering from fright and worry.

He gave a sharp cough and the last of the steam and ash fluttered out, and he leaned back against the wall, sucking in air, waiting for his stomach to stop feeling like he’d swallowed a dozen needles and was about to heave them back up again.

His brow was sticky with sweat which made his black hair matte as his bangs hung down into his green eyes. The strain made his already pale skin even more ashen and his clothes stuck to his back uncomfortably.

For the longest time nobody said anything, nobody moved. There was just the sound of steam and The Spine’s unsteady breathing.


	4. Chapter 4

It was The Jon who moved first, creeping out from behind Rabbit and inching over to where his brother was still collapsed against the wall.

“Th…The Spine?” he asked, his voice wavering with uncertainty and fear. “Is that you?”

The Spine took one more deep, steady breath as he pushed the hair from his eyes.

“Yes The Jon, it’s me.”

The smaller bot jumped at the sound of The Spine’s voice coming out of the very human body and began fidgeting nervously from one foot to the other.

“W-W-W-What J-J-J-Just HaP-P-P-pened!” Rabbit finally got out, his voice box glitching erratically from his frayed emotions.

The Spine pushed himself up, using the wall as support as he stood. The world was still spinning slightly and his legs were still weak and ridiculously useless from changing so suddenly.

“Maybe help me to the van, then I can explain everything.” He offered hopefully, not especially in the mood to have this talk in the open hallway and definitely not more than once.

The clockwork automaton didn’t look especially receptive. “B-B-B-but You’R-R-R-R-re Y-Y-Y-Y-YHum….”

“Yes Rabbit, I am aware.” Spine said as levelly a he could manage,Rabbit only stuttered and glitched this badly when he was really upset, and The Jon was still fidgeting and staring at him.

“I’m still a little weak knee’d,” he said finally “could you give me a hand to the van?” Another moment passed of Rabbit and The Jon staring anxiously at him. “Please.”

Rabbit eyed him critically and Spine could see the gears in his head turning.

“You aren’t picking me up Rabbit.” he said after a moment.

That finally brought a grin to the clockwork bots face.

Rabbit gave him a look.”I C-C-C-could carry ya, ya know,” he offered, “you’re kinD-D-da skinny.”

“No Rabbit.” he said sternly, but a tiny smirk creeped its way onto his pink lips anyway as he slung an arm over Rabbits shoulder so that he could use him as a support.

Something seemed to click in The Jon and his shuffling became a bouncing.

He began to babble quickly and the only things The Spine could pick out were “Humans” “hurt” and suddenly he’d disappeared, leaving just Rabbit and The Spine to glance at each other and shrug.

They’d made it about halfway to the van when Michael came careening full tilt from the opposite direction and came skidding to a stop before them.

“I heard Jon yelling whats wro-who the heck are yo-what happened?!?” Michael had the amazing ability to change a sentence on a dime and flipped through three in quick succession as he panted and stared at them wide eyed.

Rabbit made a disgruntled noise and flourished his free hand toward his cargo. 

“I believe you have met my brother previously”

“Everything’s fine Michael” Came The Spine’s rather recognizable voice catching Michael completely off guard.

His mouth gaped open and closed a few times as he pointed limply. finally he gulped and asked unsteadily “The…Spine?”

Finally feeling up to walking on his own he pulled away from Rabbit and straightened his vest with a quick tug.

“Yes Michael, It’s me. Can we please get to the van and then I’ll explain everything?”

Michael was still looking him up and down, shooting confused glances at Rabbit every now and then, “B-but…”

“Michael…” It was the tone normally reserved for when him and The Jon’s escapades had turned to something exceptionally aggravating. It was The Spines very special tone that meant ‘i am getting tired of this playing around so stop arguing, this is how things are going to work’.

Michael made one last confused hand gesture before letting his arms drop to his sides muttering “okay then…”.

The Jon suddenly made his reappearance, sprinting down the hall and excitedly brandishing a bright red blanket which he tossed over The Spines shoulders, nodding approvingly to himself.

“The Jon, whats this?” The Spine asked, holding the corner of the fluffy blanket up for inspection.

“Shock blanket.” he said rather matter-of-factly before dashing off once again.

The two humans and one automaton stared after him for a moment before collectively shrugging and continuing to the van.


	5. Chapter 5

It was two more halls and one outdoor walkway before they finally reached their destination and The Spine was reminded of just how much ‘changing’ took out of him.

He plopped himself onto the floor of the van, his heels propped up on the curve and tried to get his breath back. Another ten minutes or so and he’d be just fine but until then he was left weak and gasping, tiny twinges of pain shooting through his newly created nerves.

Sam was buried in the back securing equipment and gave a cursory grunt as they approached. 

“I was wondering where you guys had gotten off to.” he called from the van as he tried to extract himself. 

“The way The Jon was shouting I thought something had happened…or he’d dropped his sandwich again but i didn’t hear my name so…”

As he finally extracted himself from the bowels of the van he found himself faced with the scene of a rather severe-faced Rabbit and confused Michael starting at something out of his sight. 

He peeked uncertainly around the door at the young man trying to catch his breath sitting at the side door of their van. A young man who held an uncanny resemblance to what Sam had always imagined a human Spine would look like.

He shot a questioning look at Michael who raised his arms in a defeated shrug.

The Jon appeared again, skidding around the corner and dropping a teddy bear into the young mans arms, an ice-pac on his head, and a bright purple band-aid on his forehead. He gave the band-aid a quick kiss and smiled proudly. “There ya go The Spine!” he announced and turned on his heels to dash back the way he’d come.

Sam watched them dully, calmly closed up the back of the van, crossed over to Michael and threw his hands up gesturing to the seated The Spine with an incredulous “WHAT?!”

Michael shook his head “I have no idea, I think we’re waiting for Steve maybe?” he said peeking around Sam and giving The Spine a questioning look.

“Yes, we’re waiting for Steve, I’m only going over this once.” 

The Jon made another cycle, this time depositing a bottle of Children’s Advil, a pillow, and a bottle of water with the explanation ” IF A HUMAN DOESN’T HAVE WATER THEY DIE IN 24 HOURS!!!!” 

They all watched him scurry away again and The Spine held the water bottle up quizzically “Where did he get an idea like that?” he asked Rabbit before shrugging and downing 2 tablets and a good gulp of water.

Rabbit gave him an incredulous look “Yes, B-Because The Jon not understanding human dietary needs is the weird thing in this situation.”

Michael put up a hand “I vote with Rabbit.”

“This isn’t a vote Michael.” Spine snapped, Michael pouted “Well still.”

Steve was the next person to come rushing out of the building, cutting Michael off. 

“I got your text man, what happened?” He looked from Michael to the rest of the gathered group, his attention focusing on The Spine. “and who’s that?”

“TH-That,” Rabbit said, pointing an accusing finger at the dark haired gentleman who rolled his eyes at the theatrics “Is The Spine, as for what HAP-HAP-HAP-happened he was just about to tell us.” He crossed his arms with a sharp clink of metal on metal (muffled slightly by cloth) and stared at The Spine expectantly, only to be shoved aside as The Jon did a flyby, tossing an apple into The Spines lap with a “Eat this to keep doctors away.” before he was gone again.

Sam watched him go, “Should we maybe stop him?” he asked tilting his bowler up to scratch his head.

The Spine shook his head, “Let him go, he seems to think he’s helping.” he deposited the apple with his slowly growing pile of ‘helpful’ items “and its better than him just sitting here and freaking out.” He shot a glance at Rabbit who responded by sticking out the tip of his metal tongue.

“‘The First Time,’ Spine, you said ‘The First Time’ like this has happened before, and you don’t seem all that surprised like this has happened A Lot”

Rabbit looked more than a little pissed now. “Exactly how long has this…whatever this is been going on?!”

The Spine was suddenly very interested in the teddy bear The Jon had thrust upon him. He bit his (pink) lip uncomfortably.

“A little over Two Months?” he said finally, looking for all the world like a teenager who was just caught sneaking out.

To say this did not please Rabbit was an understatement. “T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-TWO MONTHS?!” for a moment, The Spine was worried he’d stick his brother into a loop. “THIS HA-HA-HAS BEEN GOING-G-G-G ON FOR TWO MON-N-N-NTHS?!”

“Yes.” he kept his voice very calm and level, “About two months back I had a strange dream, when I woke up I was…” Spine looked down at himself and made a vague gesture to indicate his human self.

Something connected in Rabbits mind. “TH-TH-Thats W-W-when you kept sneakin out…”

“So, what. You can go back and forth?” Steve asked, settling his sun glasses on top of his bandanna.

The Spine nodded, his eyes only darting up to look at his band mates for a moment before returning to their inspection of his shoes.

Rabbit slouched down on the seat beside the Spine.

“W-W-W-W-Why WO-WO-WO-wouldn’t…” Rabbits shoulder jerked and his head snapped to the side in one quick motion. He sighed a cloud of steam and tried again. “Why wouldn’t Y-You tell us somethin like that Tha Spine?”

The Spine didn’t answer for a long time, toying absently at the teddy bear sitting in his lap. 

“I…I didn’t want you to know. I knew you’d want to try and find a way to…” he bit his lip again “to make it stop.”

Blue and green photoreceptors stared at him and there was one long blink of disbelief before Rabbit pushed himself up and began pacing.

“Y-Y-Y-You didn’t TE-TE-Tell us cause…of course we gotta find a way to make this stop! This isn’t a good thing! ITS HURTING YOU!”

“I’m fine Rabbit,” Bu Rabbit cut him off with a wave of his hand and kept going.

“N-NO, don’t you dare give me that. You were crying, Spine. I heard stuff crack, it left you whimpering.”

The Spine flinched with each emphasized word, there was a reason he had so desperately tried to avoid ever letting his brothers see him change.

“It only hurts when its happening Rabbit, I promise. It fades really fast, I’m already feeling fine.”

They stared at each other for a moment. 

Finally Rabbit’s shoulder relaxed and he let out another sigh of steam. There really wasn’t a point to this fight because, right now at least, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

“Okay FINE,” he said, his pacing coming to a halt.

“I’m guessing you’ aren’t goin around Intro-ro-ro-ducing yourself with ‘Hi I’m The Spine and totally Y-Y-Y-Human so what are you using?”

The Spine shifted some more, even less interested in making eye contact with his ‘older’ brother. The mutter was barely even audible.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quiet catch that.” Rabbit snarked, making an over exaggerated ‘I’m listening’ gesture.

“Walter”

Both Rabbits arms dropped and swung freely at his sides. “Wow…Really, uh, Really took a stretch there didn’t ya.”

“Shut up Rabbit”

“Do ya tell P-P-people your last name’s peter?”

“Shut UP Rabbit”

“or do you get really creative and use Wanda?”

The Spine groaned, hiding his head in his hands and then running them through his (very real) hair.

That was when The Jon made a reappearance, bouncing happily with a bowl shouting “I got chicken noodle soup! Now you can be all B-B-better!”

He set the bowl of still steaming soup on the sidewalk at The Spine’s feet but this time he didn’t have a chance to scurry away as The Spine reached out and snagged the smaller bots bright red suspenders and yanked him back so that he fell into his lap.

He hadn’t really thought through the way human bodies handled the weight difference though and let out a grunt as the youngest automaton landed on his lap heavily.

Great, now he was gonna have bruises on his thigh.

“The Jon.” The golden bot was reaching around him and pulling the blanket back around his shoulder, muttering about how when humans got hurt they needed a shock blanket

“The Jon.” now he was tucking the teddy bear under The Spine’s arm and skootching the pillow behind him.

He inspected his handy work for a moment and tilted his head, looking not at The Spine but the little pile of items he had procured and seemed to be considering something. Suddenly, with a snap of his fingers, he pulled the uneaten apple from the pile and thrust it at The Spine. He looked him right in the eye, blue glow reflecting off black pupils. “You gotta eat this The Spine!” he begged, almost desperate “ To keep doctors away! Because doctors only fix you halfway so that you have to keep coming back and then you’re broken forever!” there were oil tears edging at his glowing blue eyes.

The Spine very gently took the apple from the youngest automatons hands and set it at his side, placing his own (soft, pink, flesh) hands on either side of his metal face he turned The Jon’s face toward his.

“Jon. I’m alright. Everything’s fine now. I’m sorry I scared you, both of you, and I’m sorry I lied and I’ve hidden things but you need to calm down now.”

He pouted, his lip trembling as his photoreceptors took in every detail before him.

Finally he settled with a little huff, his gazed dropping and a muttered “Okay.”

Satisfied the Bronze bot was sufficiently placated The Spine pulled him into a tight hug, the small bot nuzzling into his chest like always and marveling at the sound of a heartbeat exclaiming “You sound like Michael now!”

He chuckled, patting the bronze curls “Okay, time to get off me now. You’re crushing my legs.”

The Jon hoped off him and skipped a few feet away, a small ‘sorry!’ accompanying each bounce as the robot-turned-human stood.

Their human companions had remained conspicuously silent through the whole exchange and The Spine now turned his attention to them.

“Well guys? Any questions?”

The three turned to each other completely at a loss. Sam finally spoke up “This may just be in the top 20 weirdest things that have ever happened around here”

”Really? I was thinking more like top ten” Steve pipped up.

They both turned to Michael, who had been there far longer than either of them and was generally the final say in such matters. 

“Top five at least” Michael grumbled, “and its only even that low cause of that ONE time…”

Both Sam and Steve threw their hands up to stop Michael from going any farther.

“Oh please no” Sam begged.

“NO! No, Peter sixth made me sit through the entire story of that one time and it never ever needs to be talked about again.”

Steve demanded before turning back to the matter at hand.

“So to sum up… your Pinocchio now?” 

That got a laugh from everyone and a ‘yay!’ from The Jon.

“Wait No, I got it, you’re a were-human!” Michael got out between fits of giggles.

Rabbit snuck up behind The Jon and grabbed his sides “Watch out Tha Jon, he’s gonna getcha!” The smaller bot squeeked and jumped, shouting “Oh no! Michael get the garlic!”

“I am not Pinocchio and I’m definitely not a ‘were-human’! And garlic’s for vampires The Jon what good would that even do?”

His cheeks were starting to turn pink from all the mocking and he crossed his arms over his stomach, which promptly gave a loud, empty growl.

It had been an eventful day and he hadn’t been as attentive as he should be, leaving his boiler running uncomfortably low. Which now translated itself by leaving ‘Walter’ completely starving.

“Hey that sounds like Michael too!” The Jon offered up cheerily.

“Well I guess that about covers what we’re gonna do next,” Sam deadpanned, “how bought we go get you fed.”

“That would be great actually,” he rubbed his empty stomach “I’m famished.”

They all piled in, Sam taking his place behind the wheel with Steve and Michael having their customary fight over who got shotgun.

From his triumphant position Steve twisted around in his seat 

“So I’m guessing you’d rather us call you ‘Walter’ for now huh?”

He nodded “Just till I change back if you don’t mind.”

Steve nodded “Just checkin.”

As ‘Walter’ pulled the seat belt across his lap he felt something shifting around his collar.

“The Jon?” 

The bot in question was hanging over the back seat, shoving his shirt around to give him easier access in his investigation.

“Yeeeuuusss?” 

He didn’t stop his inspection of his brothers neck, tugging the collar aside for a better view.

“What are you doing?”

He’d moved onto the arms now, shoving his sleeves up to his elbow and turning his arm this way and that.

“…nothing…”

“You’re checking for bite marks aren’t you?”

“…Maaayybbeee.”

Walter sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, he could hear Rabbit cracking up beside him

“For the last time The Jon, I am not a were-human!”


End file.
